Choosing a steno theory: Difference between revisions

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A steno theory is the set of rules a stenographer learns that allows them to convert words to stenographic outlines. Ideally, the stenographic outlines are a shorthand form for the words that is quicker to input. There are several English steno theories available to learn (some free), and it is easy to become overwhelmed with the choices you have. If you are ever unsure, we recommend starting off with [https://lapwing.aerick.ca Lapwing theory]. However, if you would like to learn more about other available steno theories (and why you might want to learn them), feel free to give this page a read.
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== The rationale for multiple English steno theories ==
When '''deciding which steno [[theory]]''' to learn, there are many factors to consider. Some possible factors could include:
A common question for those unfamiliar with stenography is, why are there multiple steno theories? And why do they all use the [[Ward Stone Ireland layout|same layout]]? Machine stenography has been around for over a hundred years, so it may seem strange that there is no "standardized" steno theory. The primary reason for this is that languages are complicated and all people interpret the language they speak in their own unique way. English, in particular, has much more variance than other languages. Being one of the most spoken languages in the world, it is very unstandardised in its pronunciation and spelling rules, which vary depending on what regions of the world you are in.  Unlike languages like French, the English language has no governing body that defines rules. And for the spelling rules that are somewhat standard, such as for General American English or British English spelling, they still poorly reflect the pronunciation, largely due to the [[wikipedia:History_of_English|many phonological changes]] English has undergone through the centuries.


Being a language with no standard rules, a poor orthography-phonology correspondence, and billions of speakers naturally invites multiple interpretations on how to represent it in shorthand.
* Strength or weakness with phonetics
* Aptitude in memorization
* Being a concrete or abstract thinker
* Educational materials available


=== Homophones ===
It is rare that stenography learners feel they have made an "incorrect" theory choice. Rather, it is best to approach picking a theory as picking a system that appeals to your strengths.
Homophones that have different written forms cause [[Glossary#Conflict|conflicts]] for phonetic stenographic theories. First of all, there are many exceptions and edge cases. Different theories take a different stance on how to resolve these exceptions. A method that works well for one person may not be effective for another person.


Constructing outlines for homophones (words that sound the same but are spelled different) is a common difference between steno theories. In Lapwing theory and Plover theory, a word's outline can differ depending on if a homophone exists. For example, the "ee" sound as in "seem" can be either <code>AOE</code> or <code>AE</code>. The word "cream" has no homophones, so it is given <code>AOE</code>. However, the word "team" has a homophone, and thus it is given <code>AE</code>. This isn't ideal because it relies on having to stop and think if a word has any homophones. However, for people who have no problem memorizing these exceptions, this is a perfectly good method.
All theories are capable of high speeds (including free ones) and all theories tend to share many similar basic principles, such as the basic alphabet (letters A through W are consistent across nearly all theories).


Some theories deal with homophones entirely [[Glossary#Orthography|orthographically]]. So the words "tear" and "hear" would be written with the same vowel chord, despite being pronounced differently. This is very consistent spelling-wise, but some people may prefer not having to think about spelling—especially when transcribing spoken word.
This page discusses theory for the standard [[Stenotype layout]] and American English. For alternative layouts and other languages, read about [[Steno layouts_and supported languages|steno in other languages]].


Steno theories can also handle homophones by just adding an [[Phoenix theory#Disambiguation Stroke|extra stroke]] at the end. If "teem" is given the TAOEPL outline, then "team" would be written as <code>TAOEPL/R-R</code>. This method can be nice because it requires no extra cognitive load; if the wrong homophone was outputted, it can be corrected easily just by pressing another stroke. However, this method relies on having quick finger speed to make up for the extra stroke.
==History==
Before 2021, [[Plover theory]] was ostensibly the only free theory available and was the most dominantly used in the Plover community. Of course, community members developed new theories and ideas, but were mostly for personal use and did not have educational materials or a dictionary intended for widespread use by others. This changed with [[Platinum theory]] becoming available for free, and [[Lapwing theory]] being developed and shared for free by [[Aerick]] in 2022.


=== Shorter versus longer theories ===
In formal stenography schools decades ago, students typically attended in-person schools and learned the theory that their program taught (each school typically only teaches one theory). As virtual, remote stenography schools became more common, especially after COVID-19, students now have options for schools, and thus, ability to choose what theory they learn by which school they go to.
Steno theories exist on a vague continuum between short and long. By definition, short steno theories require fewer strokes for any given text — words are abbreviated and compressed to a great extent. On the other hand, long steno theories require more strokes for any given text because the steno outlines closely resemble the output words —  long multisyllable words will require as many strokes as there are syllables. The length of a steno theory is often measured by strokes per word.


* Short steno theories require more cognitive load since there is more mental effort needed to create abbreviated steno outlines.  
Thus, being able to choose a theory is a fairly modern stenography concept, for both hobbyists and students with the intent to become professional.


* Long theories require less mental processing going from words to outlines, but require fast stroke speeds of around 6 strokes per second.  
==Choosing a free theory==
The Plover community generally recommends that beginners start with one of the following three free theories:
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!  !! Description !! Learning resources
|-
| [[Plover theory|'''Plover''']] || The default theory that comes with the Plover app. Used by Mirabai Knight, the founder of the Open Steno Project and a professional stenocaptioner. || Two online textbooks
|-
| [[Lapwing theory|'''Lapwing''']] || A derivative of Plover theory made for hobbyists and designed to be easier to learn. || Online textbook, [[Steno Jig]], [[Typey Type]]
|-
| [[Platinum theory|'''Platinum''']] || Similar to Plover theory in basics, but primarily used by court reporters. || Video series available on YouTube, PDF lessons
|}


Different individuals may be better with one or the other, or somewhere between. Choosing a theory that is just right can pay off in the learning and speed building process. Both types of theories are used in practice to reach professional certified speeds, so it is entirely the preference of the user.
{{Info|text=All of these theories are based on a General North American English accent. If you speak English with a different accent, read about [[English steno with a non-American accent]].}}


=== Varieties of English accents and dialects ===
All three of these theories are derived from [[StenEd theory]], so they are very similar and contain only minor differences from each other. Therefore, considerations such as phonetics and memorization cannot meaningfully help you make a choice between free theories.
English dialects and accents can affect how words are spelled and pronounced. It is difficult to create an effective steno theory that works for all speakers and writers. For phonetic theories, it is much more practical to have multiple steno theories that tailor to specific variants of English. That being said, pretty much all steno theories (at time of this writing) are based on North American English.


== Open steno theories ==
The most significant difference between these choices is the [[Stenography Textbooks|educational materials]] available.
There are currently three steno theories that are freely available to use. They are fully supported by the Plover app, but have different learning resources that can be found online.
* Plover has two online textbooks, but each can be considered incomplete in different ways.
* Lapwing has an online textbook that is generally considered complete.
* Platinum theory has YouTube videos, which may be helpful for those who learn better from videos.


=== Plover theory ===
Both Plover and Platinum originated with the purpose of usage for [[Professional Stenography|court reporting or professional captioning]]. Lapwing was not designed with court reporting or captioning as a priority, and was aimed specifically at general computer use and hobbyist beginners. (However, all three are fit for use in court reporting, captioning, general computer use, and by hobbyist beginners.)
''See also: [[Plover theory]]''


The Plover app comes with a default dictionary, <nowiki><code>main.json</code></nowiki> that we claim you can learn by learning Plover theory. It originated as Mirabai Knight’s own personal dictionary that she uses for stenocaptioning. The dictionary is very brief-heavy, and outlines are often short. Plover theory has its origins in [[NYCI Steno theory]], where Mirabai learned from, which itself is derived from [[StenEd theory]]. The documentation for Plover theory arose partly as ''an analysis of the dictionary'' donated by Mirabai, and can be understood as an understanding of how Mirabai approaches stenography. The closer your conception of stenography is to Mirabai's, the better you will be at using Plover theory.
While in all cases you will have to [[Personalizing your dictionary|customize your dictionary]], the base dictionary provided to beginners is in a different state for each theory.  
* Plover learners who rely on checking the dictionary to confirm what theory they are learning may be confused by the multitude of entries for each word. Many are [[misstrokes]] and strokes that do not follow the theory. This can be difficult for beginners but is a great advantage to advanced stenographers to produce more accurate writing.
* Lapwing learners may find the dictionary to be a reliable tool to aid in learning theory. However, it is likely they will have to spend more time creating misstroke entries and entries that do not follow theory rules in the pursuit of higher speeds. The Lapwing dictionary also does not contain as many medical terms or jargon as Plover.
* Platinum learners have said the dictionary contains errors and entries that do not follow the theory rules, which may take time to clean up and correct. You may be able to glean help from those who have already done this work.


As the dictionary of a professional stenocaptioner, it contains outlines for a broad range of subject matter and can be regarded as being much more complete than many other stenographic theories, which often only contain general vocabulary and justice system terminology. Using Plover theory will allow you to approach practically any word you see out there.
==Theory as taught in steno schools==
{{Incomplete|section}}


However, as a personal dictionary that has been used and built for many years, there are many inconsistencies on application of rules, mistaken definitions, and personalised misstrokes that come with the dictionary. Many of the rules outlined in the documentation for Plover theory are understood to guide you to the correct definition ''most'' of the time. The rules are not complete enough to judge whether or not any strange definitions are correct — this judgement is left to the intuition of the user. These shortfalls often lead to frustration in the learning process. Much of this frustration could be alleviated if people in the community went through the effort of creating a new dictionary based on Plover theory that eliminated inconsistent definitions and mistakes. However, most attempts at doing this result in the creators adding additional rules and spawning new theories, such as ''Lapwing theory''.
==Switching theories==
The option to switch theory is always available. You can also combine a different theory into your old theory, learn [[User Theories|user theories]] as modules in addition to your base theory, or make up your own theory.


For details on how to set up and learn Plover theory, see [https://www.artofchording.com/ Art of Chording]. You can also reference [https://www.openstenoproject.org/learn-plover/home.html Learn Plover], but that resource is outdated.
As a beginner, if you have not completed learning a theory yet, switching is especially easy as most theories share the same basic principles.


=== Lapwing theory ===
If you have completed a theory and find that your theory is working against you in your pursuit of higher speeds, consider first whether a large dedicated practice could solve your issues. If not, you probably have the knowledge you need to pick a different theory, and pick it up more quickly than the first time you learned.
''See also: [[Lapwing theory]]''


Lapwing theory was created by a community member who wanted to address the shortcomings of Plover theory. It shares many principles with Plover theory, but incorporates new rules—particularly when it comes to writing complicated words. Many regard it as easier to learn than Plover theory due to its improved consistency.
{{NavboxTheory}}
 
We recommend starting with Lapwing theory because it is more beginner friendly. For details on how to set up and learn Lapwing theory, see the [https://github.com/aerickt/lapwing-for-beginners/wiki Lapwing for Beginners Wiki].
 
== Proprietary steno theories ==
 
=== Platinum theory ===
''See also: [[Platinum theory]]''
 
A '''free''' but proprietary theory for court reporting students [https://platinumsteno.com/downloads/platinum-steno-ncrs-theory-dictionary/ available for download on the Platinum steno website] taught through [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-bfgyMjBdFuzhuL4Ff6XqA YouTube videos].
 
=== Phoenix theory ===
''See also: [[Phoenix theory]]''
 
A theory known for patenting the [[Vowel Omission Principle]] that reduced conflicts while still allowing the theory to remain highly phonetic.
 
=== Magnum theory ===
''See also: [[Magnum theory]]''
 
A brief-heavy steno theory used by Mark Kislingbury, the current record holder for stenography transcription at 370 wpm at 95.4% accuracy.
 
=== StenEd theory ===
''See also: [[StenEd theory]]''
 
Possibly the most popular stenographic theory in the industry.
 
=== Realwrite/Realtime theory ===
''See also: [[Realwrite/Realtime theory]]''
 
Unique among steno theories for using chords not directly based on the original Ward Stone Ireland. The theory makes use of chords that represent more orthography. The theory was built with realtime writing in mind, unlike other theories which existed before computer transcription and were adapted.
 
== Which steno theory should you learn? ==
Ultimately, it does not matter which theory you choose when it comes to speed—it is always possible to add more memorization after learning a theory. After all, [[Personalizing your dictionary|customizing your dictionary]] is part of the speed building process. All of the steno theories listed above have the same basic chords, and it is quite easy to switch in the early stages.

Latest revision as of 11:00, 20 March 2026

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This page needs clean-up. The information may be complete, but help revise the page by removing first-person speech, breaking up large blocks of text, adding inter-wiki links, and making information more concise and easy-to-read.



When deciding which steno theory to learn, there are many factors to consider. Some possible factors could include:

  • Strength or weakness with phonetics
  • Aptitude in memorization
  • Being a concrete or abstract thinker
  • Educational materials available

It is rare that stenography learners feel they have made an "incorrect" theory choice. Rather, it is best to approach picking a theory as picking a system that appeals to your strengths.

All theories are capable of high speeds (including free ones) and all theories tend to share many similar basic principles, such as the basic alphabet (letters A through W are consistent across nearly all theories).

This page discusses theory for the standard Stenotype layout and American English. For alternative layouts and other languages, read about steno in other languages.

History

Before 2021, Plover theory was ostensibly the only free theory available and was the most dominantly used in the Plover community. Of course, community members developed new theories and ideas, but were mostly for personal use and did not have educational materials or a dictionary intended for widespread use by others. This changed with Platinum theory becoming available for free, and Lapwing theory being developed and shared for free by Aerick in 2022.

In formal stenography schools decades ago, students typically attended in-person schools and learned the theory that their program taught (each school typically only teaches one theory). As virtual, remote stenography schools became more common, especially after COVID-19, students now have options for schools, and thus, ability to choose what theory they learn by which school they go to.

Thus, being able to choose a theory is a fairly modern stenography concept, for both hobbyists and students with the intent to become professional.

Choosing a free theory

The Plover community generally recommends that beginners start with one of the following three free theories:

Description Learning resources
Plover The default theory that comes with the Plover app. Used by Mirabai Knight, the founder of the Open Steno Project and a professional stenocaptioner. Two online textbooks
Lapwing A derivative of Plover theory made for hobbyists and designed to be easier to learn. Online textbook, Steno Jig, Typey Type
Platinum Similar to Plover theory in basics, but primarily used by court reporters. Video series available on YouTube, PDF lessons
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All of these theories are based on a General North American English accent. If you speak English with a different accent, read about English steno with a non-American accent.



All three of these theories are derived from StenEd theory, so they are very similar and contain only minor differences from each other. Therefore, considerations such as phonetics and memorization cannot meaningfully help you make a choice between free theories.

The most significant difference between these choices is the educational materials available.

  • Plover has two online textbooks, but each can be considered incomplete in different ways.
  • Lapwing has an online textbook that is generally considered complete.
  • Platinum theory has YouTube videos, which may be helpful for those who learn better from videos.

Both Plover and Platinum originated with the purpose of usage for court reporting or professional captioning. Lapwing was not designed with court reporting or captioning as a priority, and was aimed specifically at general computer use and hobbyist beginners. (However, all three are fit for use in court reporting, captioning, general computer use, and by hobbyist beginners.)

While in all cases you will have to customize your dictionary, the base dictionary provided to beginners is in a different state for each theory.

  • Plover learners who rely on checking the dictionary to confirm what theory they are learning may be confused by the multitude of entries for each word. Many are misstrokes and strokes that do not follow the theory. This can be difficult for beginners but is a great advantage to advanced stenographers to produce more accurate writing.
  • Lapwing learners may find the dictionary to be a reliable tool to aid in learning theory. However, it is likely they will have to spend more time creating misstroke entries and entries that do not follow theory rules in the pursuit of higher speeds. The Lapwing dictionary also does not contain as many medical terms or jargon as Plover.
  • Platinum learners have said the dictionary contains errors and entries that do not follow the theory rules, which may take time to clean up and correct. You may be able to glean help from those who have already done this work.

Theory as taught in steno schools

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This section is incomplete. If you know about this subject, please contribute to the wiki by adding more information.



Switching theories

The option to switch theory is always available. You can also combine a different theory into your old theory, learn user theories as modules in addition to your base theory, or make up your own theory.

As a beginner, if you have not completed learning a theory yet, switching is especially easy as most theories share the same basic principles.

If you have completed a theory and find that your theory is working against you in your pursuit of higher speeds, consider first whether a large dedicated practice could solve your issues. If not, you probably have the knowledge you need to pick a different theory, and pick it up more quickly than the first time you learned.

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